Surviving Black Hawk Down has an interesting pool of interviewees, which includes actual soldiers and Somali people who survived the Battle of Mogadishu.
Directed by Jack MacInnes, Netflix's new docu-series sheds some more light on what truly happened during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993, showcasing interviews and shocking on-the-ground footage that was captured during the clash that changed the lives of many.
Surviving Black Hawk Down premiered on Netflix on February 10.
Surviving Black Hawk Down Cast - Netflix Documentary Guide
Randy Ramaglia
Randy Ramaglia was a member of the U.S. Army Rangers who was deployed in the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993.
The main crux of the mission then involved getting a high-ranking lieutenant in the militia.
He said that he was confident that they were the most proficient fighting force in the world, which is why he expected to be back in time for dinner after the mission was a success.
Back then, he thought they were invincible, but the reality was, "We were just kids."
David Diemer
Another member of the U.S. Army Rangers who took part in the 1993 mission is David Diemer.
During the Battle of Mogadishu, David served as part of the Rescue Convoy for the Rangers.
He points out that all of the soldiers that were deployed were "all very, very motivated" to keep the peace.
Brad Thomas
Brad Thomas decided to join the army despite his passion for music.
As a member of the U.S. Army Rangers, he joined the eventful mission in Somalia that changed his life forever.
Brad took part as one of the soldiers on the ground in the Battle of Mogadishu.
It was the Delta Force's mission, with the Army Rangers serving as "bodyguards."
Tom Satterly
In 1993, Tom Satterly was a member of the U.S. Delta Force who joined forces with the Army Rangers in the Battle of Mogadishu.
Back then, Tom admitted that was "one of those cocky, 'I can do anything,' kind of kids."
The Delta Force is a classified high-profile operations group whose legacy mission involves hostage rescues and capture or kill missions for high-level leaders.
Tom simply believed that they were the best and "untouchable" then.
Ahmed 'Five'
Ahmed 'Five' is known as one of the war cameramen in the brutal clash between America and Somalia.
He said that everything changed in Somalia when the civil war first broke out in 1991: a clash that saw the troops of Ali Mahdi and General Aidid go at it brutally.
He admits that he is not a fighter, which is why he tries to avoid any danger as much as possible.
Still, he believes that the "situation needs to be recorded," leading to his on-the-ground mission during the whole chaotic affair.
Halima Weheliye
Halima Weheliye was only a young girl during the time of the dangerous Battle of Mogadishu. She wasn't even aware of the existence of Americans back then.
Nuur Hassan
Nuur Hassan was a member of General Aidid's army who shared his perspective on the whole civil war fiasco and the eventual clash between Somalians and Americans.
Nuur first shared that he received a "good job" and "made good money" when the United Nations came to Somalia to help citizens suffering from hunger and poverty due to famine brought about by the civil war.
As a breadwinner for 22 people, he worked hard to provide for his family during the famine. He also said that they had to carry their guns then for their own protection.
However, he was treated badly by the soldiers after he confiscated his gun despite saying that he was working for a non-government organization.
After learning the news that 73 Somalian dignitaries (who were innocent) died after getting caught in a crossfire in the United States' attempt to capture Aidid, Nuur vowed then that he would "fight America with all his might."
Yasin Dheere
Yasin Dheere is another member of General Aidid's army who was a hardened fighter for over 20 years.
He said that they were enraged over the fact that the U.S. helicopters bombarded Mogadishu in the soldiers' attempt to capture Aidid.
They saw it as a "sign of weakness," comparing the soldiers to "a coward or weak person [who] will attack you from afar."
When Mike Durant was captured by Aidid's army, Yasin spared his life by stopping a Somalian youth from killing him.
Yasin explained, "By sparing his life, it shows we are better than the Americans."
Saido Mohamed
Saido Mohamed when they were holed up inside her house with some U.S. Rangers and Delta Forces members after the helicopter was taken down by Aidid's army. The helicopter crashed right outside their house.
They were surrounded by General Aidid's forces, and she revealed everything she could remember during that harrowing day. As chaos ensued over the city, what made it difficult for her then was the fact that she was a new mother.
Hussein Mohamed
Hussein Mohamed is Saido Mohamed's husband who was deemed as a threat by the U.S. soldiers even though he had no weapons or signs of retaliation. He only wanted to protect his wife and newborn baby girl.
Larry Perino
Larry Perino was the platoon leader for the 3rd Ranger Battalion of the U.S. Army Rangers during the Battle of Mogadishu.
While admitting he was scared back then, one thing he did as a leader was to remain calm amid the chaos, noting, "It would be so much worse if [my battalion] saw me lose my sh*t."
He was stationed at the target building where he was tasked with monitoring the radios to get a sense of the whole situation. After the helicopter crashed, the mission changed from a raid to a rescue mission.
Brad Halling
Brad Halling was a U.S. Army Spiner who took part in the chaotic battle in Somalia.
His job then was to suppress the ability of Aidid's forces to fire on their troops.
Mike Durant
Mike Durant was the pilot of the second Black Hawk helicopter (Super 6-4) that went down during the Battle of Mogadishu.
He was taken hostage by General Aidid's army, and he was even the subject of a hostage video as a way to mock the Americans.
Mike was eventually let go by his captors after 11 days after President Bill Clinton threatened with retaliation if he was still being held captive.
Binti Adan
Another Somalian who joined the pool of interviews to reflect on the Black Hawk Down incident is Binti Adan.
After learning that there was a crossfire between Aidid's army and the U.S. soldiers, she raced against time to head over to Bakara Market to try and save her children.
Carmen Gordon
Carmen Gordon is the widow of Gary Gordon, a sniper of the U.S. Delta Forces who died during the Battle of Mogadishu.
Back then, she had no idea about Gary's whereabouts after he was tasked to join the Somalia mission. All he told Carmen was he was simply going on a trip.
Sadly, Gary died during the chaos after he tried to protect his crew members from the helicopter crash. Up to this day, Carmen is still heartbroken over his husband's death.
All episodes of Surviving Black Hawk Down are now streaming on Netflix.
Read more about the top shows that will premiere on Netflix in 2025.
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